Applicant

What type of school/college do/did you attend? Independent – selective

GCSE or a similar equivalent taken: yes (2 A*,6 A,2 B)

A-levels

A2: English Literature (A at AS; predicted NA; gained NA at A2)

A2: French (A at AS; predicted NA; gained NA at A2)

A2: History (A at AS; predicted NA; gained NA at A2)

A2: Music (A at AS; predicted NA; gained NA at A2)

Details about the offer

Type of offer: conditional

Other conditions: AAAB

Have you accepted the offer? yes

Oxford is my first choice if I manage to meet my difficult offer! Followed by St. Andrews.

Have you applied to other universities you consider very close, ‘on par’ or even better than oxbridge? (Ivies, Sorbonne, LSE..others for different subjects) yes

Have you received offer(s) from them? yes

Have you met the offer? grades pending/unknown

Decisions about the application

For what reasons did you apply to Oxbridge?

Oxford offered the most interesting course, but also a tutorial system, of which the academic vigour was particualarly attractive. Basically, I wanted a challenge.

How did you decide between Oxford and Cambridge?

Oxford as a town, seemed to have a life outside of the university, unlike Cambridge which seemed claustraphobic. Additionally, I believed the course at Oxford had greater breadth.

Why did you choose this college/make an open application?

After visiting several college open days, I found that St. Hilda’s was friendly, relaxed and neither too large nor too small. The English department there was really strong and the fellows supportive.

Preparation

Did your school/college give you any extra tuition or help prior to your interview or application? yes

My school offered weekly classes on poetry and an introduction to literary criticism. Although, I didn’t believe these to be particularly useful at the time, in hindsight it is important to have a varied knowledge of poetry for your interview.

Do you have any advice for future applicants in terms of preparation?

The form: I think the most important thing is how you write rather than what you write. There is of course a chance that the tutors won’t read what you write, but if they do, this is your first chance to show of your writing style.

The interview: Firstly, know your set texts inside out, along with each and every aspect mentioned on your personal statement.
Secondly, look up the aspects which differentiate your cource from other universities.
Finally, read widely and have an idea of different poetic periods.

Interview

Did you have to sit any pre-interview exams (LNAT/BMAT/..)? no

Did you have to submit any written work prior to the interview? yes

For English, I had to submit two essays. My first was a piece of coursework on Hamlet, which I felt showed in depth personal study and my second was a homework essay on Duffy, with emphasis on context. The colleges do ask for work that isn’t rewritten, which I submitted, so I would recommend not stewing over any work repeatedly

Did you have to take any exams as part of your interview(s)? no

How was/were in general your interview(s)?

I had two interviews on the same day. My first was with one man and mainly based on my set-texts and the second was with two women which was more conversational about my literary interests. I also had to analyse two unseen pieces of poetry.

What questions were you asked during your interview(s)?

In my first interview, the questions started out simply on one of my set texts:Keats. The interviewer then asked me to compare Keats with Eliot, an interest expressed on my personal statement. Each of these I was at least somewhat prepared for, but I was then challenged to find the significance of Keats’s Nightingale in Eliot’s the wasteland and Fitzgerald’s writing, which was particularly challenging. In my second interview, I was asked to discuss Beowulf, particularly from a contextual point-of-view and then to compare the ideas of revenge with Hamlet. I then recieved a piece of poetry wildly more difficult than in my first interview, which I had to discuss.

What did you wear to your interview(s), and why?

A black sweater and a Burberry kilt. I thought it was smart, but not overdressed

Impressions

What was your general impression of the college that you applied to/any others you visited?

Friendly and relaxed-everybody seemed willing to help.

If seen, please describe the college accommodation eg. size of rooms, facilities.

My room was large, but very cold.

How was the food provided by the college?

Good.

How did you find the tutors in the college?

Every tutor I met was friendly and seemed to think me a worthy candidate. They were challenging but not pushy and I found this helpful for my interviews.

Generally, what were the college students like (from what you saw of them)?

Very caring and supportive. Obviously they have been in the same situation in previous years, so they seemed genuinely pleased to offer advice.

Final stage

Please describe what happened when you received the letter/the call telling you whether you had a place or not.

I jumped up and down, which I followed by screaming. Later, I realised how much work was in store, causing me to calm down rather quickly.

Looking back

If you were to re-live that year of your life again, would you still apply?

YES! YES!

What advice do you have for potential applicants based on your experiences?

Even if people tell you not to apply or doubt your abilities, if you feel Oxford would suit you, then go for it 110%

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